


Five Ficlets for House and Cameron

by TeaRoses



Category: House M.D.
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-07
Updated: 2010-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-07 18:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaRoses/pseuds/TeaRoses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of five (unconnected) ficlets written for the "stagesoflove" LiveJournal.  The theme was "five emotions" -- compassion, envy, regret, surprise, and hope.  All set (and written) during the third season, spoilers up to Son of a Coma Guy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Killing Compassion

**Author's Note:**

> Compassion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Compassion

Cameron wishes she could kill her compassion. Yes, sometimes she looks at the leg, looks at House's pain and his efforts to pretend it doesn't matter, and his other efforts to pretend it's the only thing that matters. She pictures the scar under her fingers, under her tongue... but why? House doesn't need a woman with a scar fetish, not much.

But some of things House thinks aren't true. House doesn't remind her one bit of her dead husband. He isn't bald and vomiting and noble and sweet. And he isn't loving and long-suffering and trying to look at the bright side with only days left. She doesn't want him to be, though House would never believe it.

And it isn't all the leg and the pain. Cameron likes listening to House talk, likes listening to him figure everything out and still be an asshole. She likes seeing him come in the door and say something horrible and grill them like he thinks they should really know something. Sometimes she even likes his lack of compassion, as much as it should repulse her. But he would say that's because she's picturing him with a fluffy marshmallow core, and maybe that's true. Maybe she's making a House in her own mind which has nothing to do with reality. But maybe she isn't.

If Cameron could kill her compassion, maybe she could be like House, and maybe he would believe she sees the real man. But she can't, and she has to face him, and face the fact that while she wants to laugh with him and make love to him and watch monster trucks she also wants to take that leg in her hands and try to soothe him. And she won't waste time trying to be anything else.


	2. Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Envy
> 
> Contains House/Wilson also, or at least that's what I was trying for.

She can see them arguing again at the end of the corridor. A real argument this time, not House being House and Wilson pretending not to enjoy it. And Wilson is raising his voice even though House clearly doesn't want him to.

"I'm not going to go to jail for you. Even you wouldn't expect that."

House just laughs. There isn't much a person can say to House without earning that derisive laugh, but it's pissing Wilson off this time.

"You stole my prescription pad!"

Cameron feels a pang when she hears it, though she knows it is true, has known even when she told Foreman she didn't believe it. But maybe she wanted to think that House had some boundaries. Mostly, she just didn't understand it because Wilson would write House millions of prescriptions if that was what House wanted; that's what it's like for them. Wilson isn't the type to try to do what's really good for House. Though after all this, she might not be either. What's really good for him is still something of a mystery.

They aren't exactly Damon and Pythias, or whatever great self-sacrificing friendship you want to name. They're both too damaged for that, actually, though House is one of the only ones to see that in Wilson. But they have something she probably couldn't have with House. He would never push her this far.

Cameron shakes her head, tries to break away and stop listening. What the hell does she want? For House to forge her prescriptions and get her bank account frozen? If House obsessed over her love life, would that make her happy?

"Come on, Wilson, nobody is going to go to jail over this."

That isn't true; House has already gone to jail. And they have lined up behind him, all of them, and he has taken it as his due. But gratitude, that's one thing she really doesn't expect.

Finally House notices her still lurking there, gives her a look of mock surprise. "She can't leave me alone," he mutters loudly to Wilson.

Cameron wants to laugh. Because she isn't all the things House thinks she is. If he tries hard enough, he actually can push her away. And he can push Wilson away, probably, and everyone else too. That she can picture, easily: House leaning on his cane, alone, while the rest of them move away waving good-bye, Cameron perhaps the last to turn to wistfully watch him smirk at them, but leaving all the same.


	3. Weight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regret

Cameron doesn't have much to take with her from work. The lab coats and scrubs are staying behind; she'll get new ones in California. But there are little odds and ends, mementos and written work, that she needs to pick up. She does consider just leaving it all and not having to see anyone, but that seems so cowardly.

In the end he is there, leaning on his cane, when she goes into his office to pack up her forgotten day planner. For a moment she thinks he's been waiting for her, but that makes no sense, she didn't even know herself when she would be there.

"Well, you're really leaving," he says in a musing tone.

"You thought the good-bye party was a joke?"

"I thought it was an elaborate scheme to get me in the sack," he replies, grinning. He's off his stride though, and she can tell. But for once she doesn't pursue it; it's too late.

"The entire city of Los Angeles is an elaborate scheme to get you in the sack, House."

"Yeah, I got lucky there too many times to count."

She stops him before he can name names. "This is a good opportunity for me, you know," she says, as if she needs to defend herself.

"Cedars-Sinai? It's really not about getting away from me?"

"No, it's not all about you!" The funny part is, it's true. She likes the people she'll work with, the opportunities to learn. Even Foreman is jealous of her for getting this position.

"You're saying that if I had felt for you what you feel for me you wouldn't have stayed?"

It's a stupid question, and she hates him for asking it.

"You love thinking about how much I feel for you. Maybe I don't feel that way at all," That part isn't entirely true. In fact it's she feels a bit cruel, but of course he just smiles.

"So nothing could have changed this," he says. "Hmmm."

She runs through a million scenarios in her mind, where House is just a little more human and she sees just a bit more of him, and she wonders what that would have been like for the thousandth time. In the end she shakes her head.

"You know that's true. We'd only annoy each other."

"I am never, ever annoying," he says angelically.

He walks her toward the main door, limping heavily, remaining silent. When she leaves he winks at her, and she is certain he doesn't look entirely happy. But maybe it's only because he couldn't control her in the end.

When she tapes the box shut that night, there's something extra in it. It's a paperweight, some kind of rock. It's ugly, and she's pretty certain that he stole it from Wilson's desk. But she likes it anyway. It will be something to hold on to, besides regret.


	4. Found Discarded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise

House probably wouldn't want to her to go through his desk to look for a pen. But considering that House invades people's lockers for fun, Cameron really doesn't care. Digging through the messy drawer, she tosses aside used tissues, comic books, and a condom which she tries not to think about.

She doesn't find a pen, but she does find a photograph. It's a child with short dark hair and a lopsided smile, sitting on a swing. Six years old, possibly; Cameron doesn't have much experience with kids. Finding a picture like this in House's drawer surprises her.

House sneaks up behind her while she is still blinking at the photograph.

"I never told you about him, did I. William."

"William?" Cameron squints at the picture.

"My son."

"I never knew you had a son," she says, giving him a puzzled look.

"It's a long and sad story..."

"Did he die a tragic death soon after this picture was taken?" asks Cameron.

House looks surprised for once.

"Come on, this picture is older than that. It's obviously you."

House smiles sarcastically and sits down in the nearest chair. "Yeah. That's me. Widdle baby House."

"Why do you keep it?" She shouldn't ask. But after all this time there's not much point in worrying about offending him.

"Memories of my warm and happy childhood?"

Cameron shakes her head; everyone's heard enough about his parents by now.

"A reminder that at least I'm not that kid anymore."

She looks at him sideways, but he seems dead serious, though it's hard to tell with House. He probably thought she might fall for the illegitimate child story too.

"Who took the picture?"

"My dad."

"You're smiling, but you look sad."

"You noticed? That wasn't unusual, with him. Things were never what he wanted."

By "things," she is certain House means himself, but even Cameron is afraid going to follow that up.

"Are you really glad to not be him anymore?"

House nods, still serious. "I had two legs then, but other than that, pretty much."

So there are things in his life he's thankful for, possibly.

As if he's reading her mind, he says, "Don't go telling everyone I have feelings. I'll deny it all in the morning."

Cameron holds up the condom. "I'll just tell them all you're having sex in the office."

"And I'll tell them it was with you. And a chicken."

She tells herself she isn't blushing, that she's too mature for that.

"Let's get busy, then," she says, but she throws the condom back in the drawer. "I'm not going to ask... but I'm glad you're not that kid anymore either."

"But I had a warm and fuzzy soul!"

Cameron reaches out and holds his hand for a moment. "You still feel warm."

As she leaves, he touches her face and looks directly at her, as if her is really thinking about her and not the next smart remark. Though she knows nothing else will happen right now, it's better than a kiss.


	5. With Feathers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope

Cameron doesn't hate clinic hours as much as House does, but that's because she doesn't have to get emotionally involved with people coming in for antibiotics they don't really need. And also because Cuddy isn't forcing her to do them as punishment.

But this hasn't been such a great day for her detachment, and she knows it's about to get worse when House comes down the hallway and grabs the file out of her hands.

"Cerebral palsy," he says, after flipping through it for a moment.

"He's only eight months old... it's early to diagnose--"

"Does he prefer one hand over the other? Or did you even check?" he asked.

"Yes, but that's not exactly the most important test."

"And you didn't tell them cerebral palsy why?" House is sneering at her again.

"I didn't say I didn't tell them. I told them it was a strong possibility."

"Giving them hope?" He sounds so sarcastic.

"Actually, they should probably hope it is true. With these symptoms, most of the other possibilities are worse."

"There could be mental impairment," he says.

"There could be. But there was a guy who went to college with me who had cerebral palsy. He was in a wheelchair, but he was at the top of the class."

"I'm surprised you didn't date him," he replies.

"Maybe I did."

He raises an eyebrow, and she shoves the file at him. "Here, why don't you go in there and tell them he has something that will kill him relatively soon. Meanwhile, I'm going to refer them to someone who can help more than the clinic."

House just shrugs and hands the file back. "We have a meeting in ten minutes."

It's after their usual hours by then, but in twelve minutes she rushes in. He is the only one in the office.

"Where are Chase and Foreman?"

He grins. "I didn't say anyone else had a meeting."

"You want to sexually harass me?" she asks, keeping her tone light.

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast," he replies, with a certain direct stare accompanying the last word.

"Hope is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul..." She realizes she sounds like a geek, but it's the first thing she thought of.

He surprises her by continuing "And sings the tune without the words..."

"And never stops at all," she finishes.

"Until you pour gasoline on it and light a match," he adds.

"I don't think that's what Emily Dickinson had in mind. What do you want, House? Right now, I mean."

He takes her hand and holds it. She looks confused, but doesn't pull away.

"I want to tell you to give up hope," he says.

"Really?"

He shakes his head. "No."

Leaning forward, she rests her head on his shoulder. "Hope is all right," she murmurs. "In small doses."

He touches her hair gently. "Maybe."

She doesn't want to interrupt, but he does.

"But I still hate Emily Dickinson."


End file.
